And despite living 4,100 miles apart a relationship blossomed between the two.

Yesterday Dawn spoke of her love for her "intimate and loving" partner who proposed earlier this week.

The 38-year-old ex-kissogram plans to travel to the States soon to finally meet the man of her dreams.

Dawn, of Palm Court, said last night she was initially worried about being paired with a criminal by a penpal agency.

She said: "Last year I wrote to a company called Hearts and Minds saying that I wanted to write to someone as I have had penpals before and it is something I like doing.

"Not long after I received a letter from a man who was in prison. I was not prejudiced, but I was unsure whether or not to write back."

The letter arrived from the high-security Daytona Beach prison, in Florida, where Eddie has been incarcerated since December 1998.

She said the 48-year-old was jailed for life after being convicted of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Known as "Eddie Boy" he also has convictions for drug dealing, burglary and assault.

He has spent more than 17 years behind bars since his first conviction in 1976.

Dawn said: "I thought I didn't want to know another man as long as I lived but he said I had so much to offer men I shouldn't give up.

"I found myself falling for him. I had to be honest with myself. But I did think - 'He is so far away, I have been hurt before - What do I do??'

"He calls me Mrs Holt now. He is the deepest man I have known on the inside or in the free world.

"You don't choose who you fall in love with do you? As I got older I realised I didn't want to marry for money like I wanted to when I was 18. This guy has nothing - but he has got such a wonderful soul."

Dawn said Eddie proposed to her on Monday and she is now saving enough money to fly to Florida to meet him, but is undecided as to whether they will marry.

Dawn, who is originally from Barnsley and also lived in Pwllheli, insisted she could keep a relationship with a prisoner in America.

She said: "It's working now and we are not even married. We do everything by letter - we argue, we make love, we share our problems, we share all kinds of details.

"I don't have a man in Great Britain sharing that with me now. I just meet jerks."